News for 05 September 2020
All the news for Saturday 5 September 2020
Sardar Singh: Tokyo team effort can win India Olympic medal
Two-time Olympian Sardar Singh thinks the current team led by Manpreet Singh can bring home India’s first hockey medal at the Summer Games since 1980.
By Utathya Nag
Former Indian men’s hockey team captain Sardar Singh thinks the Tokyo-bound national probables have the potential to break Indian hockey’s four-decade-long medal drought at the Olympics.
India were a superpower in the world of hockey, winning a staggering eight gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the Olympics from 1928 to 1980.
However, since captain Vasudevan Baskaran led India to a gold at the 1980 Moscow Games, success at the Olympic stage has eluded the nation.
According to Sardar Singh, the barren spell may finally end at the Tokyo Summer Games next year.
"We are No. 4 in the world rankings now and that is a positive sign. We have a proper structure in place and there are good coaches to take care of things,” Sardar Singh said during a webinar with Sportstar.
Sardar Singh represented the Indian hockey team at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Olympics.
Manpreet and Sreejesh need support
In the past few years, Indian men’s hockey team captain Manpreet Singh and veteran goalkeeper PR Sreejesh have emerged as the talismen for the current team. A little consistency from the rest of the squad, Sardar says, can help India to a podium finish in Japan next year.
“All our 16-17 players should perform at the same level. (PR) Sreejesh or Manpreet (Singh) alone can't win matches for you. We need everyone. With that consistency, we will be good enough to reach the semi-finals or even the finals,” Sardar stated.
Sardar Singh, who represented the Indian hockey team from 2006 to 2018, said the squad was preparing well as a team and has developed a winning mentality.
Known for his mental fortitude on the hockey field, Sardar Singh was India’s vice captain under Bharat Chetri during the London 2012 Olympics. Sardar also played the Rio 2016 Games.
Former Indian hockey team goalkeeper Adrian D'Souza, who was Sardar’s teammate during his playing days, echoed the 2014 Asian Games gold medal-winning captain’s sentiments and added that youngsters in the current team need to enjoy the occasion.
“Whether it is at Tokyo or any other big event, all that our youngsters have to do is what they love the most, which is to play hockey. And that is the primary goal - to play the sport as you know it,” D'Souza stated.
With less than 11 months to go for the start of Tokyo 2020, the core group of Indian hockey players shortlisted for selection to the final Olympic squad have been training together at the national camp at the SAI Centre at Bengaluru.
There was a slight bump in the road with six players, including Manpreet, testing positive for COVID-19 at the start of the camp. The players, however, have recovered from the infection and preparations for Tokyo are progressing in full flow.
The camp concludes on September 30.
Olympic Channel
We expect to hit top gear by end of 2020: Hockey coach Reid
Reid, a former coach of the Australian team, is aware of the approach he and his support staff needs to adopt in the prevailing circumstances.
Graham Reid asserted that the national team can hit the top gear by the end of this year. (File Photo) - SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
India’s training environment is second to none and the national team can hit the top gear by the end of this year, asserted chief coach Graham Reid, who has adopted a “conservative approach” to train his players.
Forced to hit pause the button after touching its all-time highest world ranking of fourth, the Indian men’s hockey team did not train for more than five months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
An optimistic Reid said even though the future looks uncertain with no international competition scheduled for this year, the side can regain the intensity by the end of 2020.
“It’s not just India, the rest of the world has been affected by the COVID. Every hockey playing nation is in the same mode. But the good thing is that we are on the right path now. It is definitely going to take a while for us to return,” the Australian said.
“But by the end of this year, probably by November-December we expect to return to where we were because if we are able to train without any hindrance, our environment is second to none.
“The best thing is that we have a centralised training environment just like Australia has in Perth.”
Having spent the entire period here in India since the outbreak of the virus, Reid, a former coach of the Australian team, is aware of the approach he and his support staff needs to adopt in the prevailing circumstances.
“The good thing is that the players have started what they love doing -- go on to the field. But we are taking a very conservative approach, we are not going too fast,” he said.
“We are right now just focussing on fitness and skill training, making sure that players are getting their skills back, monitor everything with GPS with emphasis on control over a player’s workload.”
The ongoing camp, that began on August 19, is scheduled to end on September 30, but the coach hinted that it can be extended till November if the situation demands and external factors are under control.
“I am confident that we will be able to create an environment for competitive hockey if everything is under control. But we will be assessing the situation, which can change anytime depending on circumstances,” Reid said.
“Personally, I would like the players to stay inside the SAI campus here and continue training till November.”
Reid, however, refused to take a definitive call on normal resumption of training of six male players, including national captain Manpreet Singh, who had tested positive for COVID-19.
“The Sports Authority of India (SAI) in conjunction with other stakeholders have created a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which we are following all the time.
“So, only time will tell (when they return to full fitness). It is impossible to predict. But as I said earlier, we are adopting a conservative approach,” he said.
Besides Manpreet, striker Mandeep Singh, defenders Surender Kumar and Jaskaran Singh, drag-flicker Varun Kumar and goalkeeper Krishan Bahadur Pathak required hospitalisation after testing positive for the virus when they returned for the national camp.
The six players have now recovered but are still in isolation inside the SAI campus in Bengaluru.
Sportstar
‘Uncle’ Jugraj's advice to focus on India selection changed my career: Mid-fielder Hardik
Indian men's hockey team player Hardik Singh. Hockey India/Twitter
Hardik Singh wanted to ply his trade as a professional in the Dutch League back in 2017 when his uncle Jugraj Singh's advice of focussing on national team selection changed the course of his career.
Jugraj, one of the most feared drag-flickers during his heydays motivated nephew Hardik, who is now aiming to seal a spot in the national team for next year's Tokyo Olympics.
The young Indian midfielder from Khusropur village near Jalandhar revealed he was on the verge of giving up his dream of playing for India in 2017.
"I went from the sub-junior level to the senior level at a good pace after I joined the Mohali Hockey Academy as a 14-year-old. However, after a few years, I found myself in a situation where I lost confidence about being a regular player in the Indian squad," he said.
"I thought about going to the Netherlands in 2017 to play club hockey there. But then my uncle Jugraj Singh convinced me that I should continue working hard and I will be a regular player in the Indian squad.”
"Thankfully, I stayed back and I have been lucky to play in big tournaments like the Hockey Men's World Cup in 2018," Hardik was quoted as saying in a Hockey India media release.
The 21-year-old had played an important role in the gold medal-winning campaign at the FIH Men's Series Finals and was also part of the Indian team which defeated Russia in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers last year.
"The days leading up to the Olympics are going to be very crucial for all of us," Hardik, who has played only 37 matches for the senior Indian team so far, said in a release issued by Hockey India (HI).
"I am very happy about the fact that I could perform for the team at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, however, I am very determined to become a much more evolved player and become a regular member in the Indian team for the Olympics," said the youngster.
"I have been working on my game in whatever capacity I can in the last few months and I am sure that my hard work will pay off one day," he said.
Hardik said he was fortunate to be playing alongside Indian captain Manpreet Singh whom he emulates.
"I am very fortunate to be playing alongside someone like Manpreet Singh, who gives everything he has in any match he plays for India. He covers the entire ground brilliantly and I hope I can be as good as him in the upcoming years," said the 21-year-old.
The Indian team will resume its FIH Pro League season in April next year against hosts Argentina.
The Tribune
Athlete Spotlight: Shomik Chakraborty
Each athlete that wears the red, white and blue has a unique story to how their careers came to fruition. From the junior level to the senior squad, USA Field Hockey is putting national team athletes under the spotlight to share their journeys.
No matter where you travel or live, sport is a universal language. Having played field hockey on four continents growing up, Shomik Chakraborty shows no signs of slowing down in goal in any capacity as a member of the U.S. U-21 Men’s National Team and U.S. Men's National Indoor Team.
Chakraborty was introduced to field hockey through his physical education class, a required part of the curriculum from third to fifth grade. The sport stuck and he has been playing ever since and played several positions before deciding to suit up as goalkeeper.
“I started out as a center back or sweeper but started playing in goal in sixth grade as an older team in my school needed a goalkeeper for a game,” said Chakraborty. "I played soccer for my school and local club teams through until the end of high school which I think really helped me as a goalkeeper.”
Chakraborty has played for a number of clubs growing up stateside and abroad. Like many seeking to excel in sports, progress has its ups and downs. In high school for instance, he was cut from the Leinster U-16 team in Ireland in the ninth grade before ultimately making the U-18 squad in the 12th grade. Between this he also spent time in the United States as well as Germany where he continued to play field hockey, in addition to soccer.
“I spent half of tenth grade in Connecticut because my mom was working there and the second half in Germany because my dad lives there,” continued Chakraborty. “During that time I focused more on soccer, although I did train some with German club Uhlenhorst Mühlheim, which was eye opening.”
Chakraborty has also been a member of the Railway Union club in Dublin since the seventh grade and continues to be an active member when time permits while in college. He is currently a junior at Georgetown University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in international politics and a minor in German. Because of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Chakraborty is learning remotely from Dublin while continuing to stay sharp in goal with Railway Union.
While he was on campus, Chakraborty remained very active with Georgetown’s cricket club team, as well as the university’s South Asian Society and also played a role in “Abissa”, a fashion show with the African Student Group. He also is an active member of the DC Dragons and Washington Field Hockey Association.
His studies were also the connecting point to the U.S. Men’s Olympic Development Pipeline. During his freshman year he began playing both indoor and outdoor field hockey for East Coast High Performance and participated in tournaments like in the Northeast Field Hockey League and National Indoor Tournament.
“I [participated in the] indoor trials for the U.S. team that year but was actually cut,” said Chakraborty. “My sophomore year I went to the Talent Identification Camp where I got selected for the Junior National Team and shortly afterward I was called back to the indoor team. My first game, against Canada, was crazy as the game was really close and we scored a last minute equalizer before going on to win the series 2-1. Being on the Junior U.S. Men’s National Team has been great because it’s a great group of guys which means training camps and tours are always a good time.”
So far in his early career Charkraborty toured with the U-21 USWNT to Bueno Aries, Argentina earlier this year, and remains a personal favorite. His other was his first series with USA against Canada in November 2019.
“Against Canada we performed well and got the results we wanted, whereas I did not feel like I played my best in Argentina,” noted Chakraborty. “It was still a fantastic experience, going to Buenos Aires and getting to see a new part of the world as well as being away with the lads.”
While COVID-19 ended the friendly the series against Argentina earlier than expected, Chakraborty has been staying busy between classes and personal training by volunteer coaching younger kids with Railway Union.
USFHA media release
2021 Pan American Cup
Trinidad & Tobago Hockey Board , informed PAHF that they will be unable to host the 2021 Pan American Cup, Men & Women’s Tournament.
This global health pandemic is affecting the world in many different aspects - health, financial, social and freedom of movement – has presented a myriad of challenges for the TTHB that has and will probably negatively impact on producing an acceptable event.
In assessing the current situation, the Executive of the TTHB has recognized that there is a high level of uncertainty in Trinidad & Tobago being prepared and ready to host an event in October or November 2021.
Executive of the TTHB has evaluated the risks associated with the uncertainty presented, at this time, and is withdrawing from the hosting of the 2021 Pan American Cup.
The Pan American Hockey Federation will announce the new host in the next weeks.
Pan American Hockey Federation media release
Hockey stadium’s both turfs affected by rainwater, need repair
KARACHI: The last week’s heavy rains have left devastating effects on the turfs of Pakistan's Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium.
Both the main blue turf and the smaller green turf have developed wrinkles because there was four feet high water accumulated in the stadium after the downpour.
PHF secretary Asif Bajwa has directed the stadium’s project director Iftikhar Syed to send him a comprehensive report on how much rainwater accumulated in the stadium, sources told ‘The News’ on Friday.
This reporter saw wrinkles all over at the green mini turf, which means it cannot be used even for practice.
While the main turf was not as affected as the green one it also has patches affected by the rainwater. The purple patch of the turf which is not the part of playing field is much affected.
But both turfs need repair work before practice can be started there.
Sources said that stadium officials informed Bajwa of the ruined condition of the turfs on phone.
The stadium’s office remained closed for two days due to the stagnant water.
Iftikhar Syed, when contacted, said that he had examined the condition of both turfs and the entire stadium and sent the report to the PHF secretary on Monday.
He said that due to the poor conditions of the hockey stadium, the staff was not able to work for two days after the rains.
He said that the damage was repairable and both turfs would be fixed properly.
The stadium is lower than its surroundings due to which rainwater gets accumulated there. A new drainage system is needed to prevent the recurrence of such catastrophe.
The News International
Flexibility and adaptability are key learning points for schools and colleges
Photo credit: Penn Athletics
Over the past few weeks national teams have been gradually making their way back to a semblance of training, albeit with strict hygiene practices in place to ensure everyone stays safe in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Restricting the number of players on each section of the pitch, ensuring that hands are washed regularly, non-use of changing facilities and the wearing of masks by coaching staff are among the many measures being taken by national associations to ensure a safe return to training and eventually competition.
But what about the grass roots game? How are schools and colleges getting their students back onto the field of play?
In the USA, hockey is largely the preserve of the colleges and these provide a strong base to feed the national team, so getting those athletes back on the field is not just important for the student’s progress but for the national team’s future as well. However, with the news that there will be no competitive college hockey until at least the spring term, coaches are feeling the strain as they work hard to keep students in touch with the sport.
It is a similar conundrum in high schools. In an interview with the sporting website Record-Journal, Stephanie Lavado-Berghorn, head coach to Lyman Hall, a high school in Connecticut, explains how she is running practices that aim to work on skills, keep the students motivated but, also keeps them safe.
“I’m trying to stay upbeat with everything going on right now. I don’t want the girls to suffer for something we can’t control,” says Lavado-Berghorn. “We are trying anything we can do to give the girls a great experience this year.”
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference sets policy for the high school sports scene and it has ruled that hockey teams can start non-contact training sessions in groups of no more than 10. The players have to wear masks and sanitise hands regularly.
The Connecticut coach is facing the same challenge as coaches all over the world: how do you make drills that don’t eventually become boring? She separates the cohort into three groups and sets them creative challenges that test their stick skills, but, she says, the players just want to get back to competing.
Over at University of Penn, the college team has missed out on a hockey trip to Spain, but, says head coach Colleen Fink, the team are not focusing on what they have missed but rather what they can still do.
“Back at the beginning of this [pandemic], we all had to shift gears so quickly, and adapt and adjust,” says Fink.” And honestly, I thought our team did an incredible job navigating that transition both from a field hockey standpoint and an academic standpoint. I was really impressed with their character and their willingness to keep their eyes forward instead of dwelling on the past.”
For their part, the team worked hard to ensure they stayed in contact at the height of lockdown. Zoom calls, online games nights, book club and guest speakers were all employed to help the team members stay engaged no matter how far they were from campus.
One feature of the US college system is player recruitment. This is usually carried out in person, with a prospective athlete visiting the campus and meeting the coach and senior players. This year, recruitment has been carried out via video chats and voice calls. A virtual open day gave new recruits a virtual tour of the campus, which was very well received, says Fink.
Across the high school and college hockey scene in the US, coaches and players are working hard and creatively to make sure that, no matter how delayed and short the season, they get as much from it as possible.
FIH site
New Zealand's 2020 Secondary Schools Tournaments come to a close
The 2020 Secondary Schools tournaments came to a close yesterday, despite the COVID 19 enforced changes these tournaments went through this year, once the hockey got underway the spirit of the game and the camaraderie and rivalries that existed between the local schools made for an enthralling week.
It was fantastic to see 154 schools and more than 2000 participants come together at the different tournaments throughout the country to play some top-quality hockey. Seeing the year 13 students get an opportunity to represent their school for the final time was outstanding after what has been a tough last year at school for the senior students across the country.
Sky Sport Next covered the final two days of the South Island and Lower North Island Premiership tournaments. You can watch replays of the 16 matches that were streamed on the Sky Sport Next YouTube channel.
The South Island Boys Premiership final featured the two form sides from the week. Kings High were looking to put together an encore performance to follow up their Rankin Cup win at the same venue in 2019. Entering the final two minutes the two sides were tied at one goal apiece before James Nicholson received a great ball from his teammate high up the field as he would go onto to score his 15th goal of the week and send Kings High School to the South Island Premiership title.
The second final of the day from Ngā Puna Wai would see the heavy hometown favourites Christchurch Girls High School. They were undefeated in 2020 competitions match up against local rivals St Margaret’s. In only the second minute of the match, it would be St Margaret’s that would open the scoring through Emelia Surridge. After absorbing a significant amount of pressure from Christchurch Girls, St Margarets were able to extend their lead in the thirty-third minute when Isabella House sealed the win for the underdog side.
St Paul’s Collegiate used a second-half surge to see off the robust Wellington College challenge in the final of the Lower North Island Premiership. The match was on a knife edge following a scoreless first half. St Paul’s would use a massive second half behind goals to Sam Lints and Javahn Jones that put them in place to claim the title.
The final of the Lower North Island Girls Premiership would see the competition favourites Wellington Girls College meeting an incredibly strong and balanced Wairarapa College. The first half was a close battle as neither side was able to find a goal to break the deadlock. It was in the second half where Wellington Girls opened the scoring and never looked back and then went on to put in four goals and seal the title.
2020 Secondary Schools Tournament Medalists
Palmerston North Premiership
Boys
Gold – St Paul’s Collegiate
Silver – Wellington Boys College
Bronze – Fielding High School
Girls
Gold – Wellington Girls College
Silver – Wairarapa College
Bronze – Napier Girls High School
Christchurch Premiership
Boys
Gold – Kings High School
Silver – Christchurch Boys High School
Bronze – Christs College
Girls
Gold – St Margaret’s College
Silver – Christchurch Girls High School
Bronze – Rangi Ruru Girls School
Hawkes Bay Championship
Boys
Gold – Cornerstone Christian School
Silver – Tauhara College Taupo
Bronze – Aquinas College
Girls
Gold – Otumoetai College
Silver – Woodford House
Bronze – Western Heights High School
Wellington Championship
Boys
Gold – Onslow College
Silver – Scots College
Bronze – Hutt International Boys School
Girls
Gold – Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Ruamata
Silver – St Oran’s College
Bronze – Tawa College
Nelson Championship
Boys
Gold – Marlborough Boys College
Silver – Timaru Boys High School 2nd XI
Bronze – Nayland College
Girls
Gold – Cashmere High School
Silver – Christchurch Girls High School 2nd XI
Bronze – Villa Maria College
Dunedin Championship
Boys
Gold – Shirley Boys High School
Silver – Cromwell College
Bronze – Dunstan High School
Girls
Gold – St Hilda’s Collegiate School 2nd XI
Silver – St Kevins College
Bronze – Dunstan High School
Invercargill Mixed
Gold – Verdon College
Silver – Southland Girls/Boys
Bronze – Central Southland College
Hockey New Zealand Media release
A 1920 Antwerp Olympic Gold Medal
By Mike Haymonds
Harry Haslam’s gold medal from the Antwerp Olympic Games of 1920. Front: left / Obverse: right
The Hockey Museum in Woking, England, has had its first sight of a 1920 Olympic gold medal. It was won by Harry Haslam, the Great Britain goalkeeper at the Antwerp Games, and has been loaned to the Museum, together with other memorabilia, by Haslam’s family.
It will be displayed at a private presentation at the Museum on 5 September, when members of Haslam’s family will receive his Great Britain honours cap. Saturday is the centenary of the final day of the 1920 Olympic hockey tournament, played as a four-nation round robin event, and the centenary of the awarding of gold medals to the GB team. Great Britain had beaten Denmark (5-1) and the hosts Belgium (12-1) and were awarded a walkover in their final game against France on the previous day to secure gold.
The official launch and presentation of honours caps to the GB teams, most of whom will be going to the Tokyo Olympics, will be made at a Pro League weekend next May.
Besides the gold medal the memorabilia includes an oil painting of Haslam, an Antwerp participation medal and civilian medals.
Harry Haslam’s participation medal from the Antwerp Olympic Games of 1920. Front: left / Obverse: right
The Antwerp medal (as described below on the Olympics website) is of gold gilt, unlike the 1908 London Olympic gold medal, held on loan by The Hockey Museum, and looks more like silver. It is believed this less expensive metal was used because money was still scarce so soon after World War One.
The 1920 Antwerp Olympic Medal is described on the official Olympic website thus
"On the obverse, a tall, naked athlete, holding in his left hand a palm leaf and a laurel crown, symbols of victory. Behind him, the figure of the Renommée playing the trumpet. In the background, a frieze with a Greek motif with the inscription "VII OLYMPIADE" underneath.
On the reverse, the Antwerp monument, commemorating the legend of Brabo throwing into the Scheldt the hand of the giant Druoon Antigoon, who had been terrorizing the river. In the background, the cathedral and port of Antwerp. In the top half, the inscription “ ANVERS MCMXX ”.
Source: www.olympic.org
Great Britain’s gold medal at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games came under strange circumstances, allegedly arising from a misguided piece of skulduggery.
Only four nations competed at these Games and, after round robin matches, the gold medal was to be decided by the penultimate game between Great Britain and France.
The Ilford Recorder in an article on the GB goalkeeper Harry Haslam, whose club was Ilford HC, on July 18 1996 described the affair thus:
“Great Britain’s opponents invited our lads out on the town – with the intention of drinking them legless. The French found their opponents were made of sterner stuff than themselves in the hangover league and the inebriated opposition actually conceded the next day’s game following their mutual night out on the town.”
Another source, also penned many decades later, refers to an epidemic near the French team’s accommodation. This may of course be a tactful way of suggesting the French team were the worse for wear, or it could be sincere.
The French finished last after losing their other two games.
The Hockey Museum media release
1920, a watershed year for Global and Indian Hockey
The year 1920 marked an important phase for Indian hockey. The Beighton Cup, the oldest trophy outside of Europe, had celebrated its silver jubilee early that year. Named after the donor of the rolling trophy T.D. Beighton, then top functionary of the British in India, the cup was stolen a few years prior but a replica was put in place to continue the legacy.
Xavier’s Club, an exclusive Anglo-Indian outfit won the silver jubilee edition beating Calcutta Football Club. The year also saw the famous Lakshmibilas Cup won by the Dacca (now Dhaka and capital of Bangladesh) based Bisweswar Sports Club. It was big honour for both the Xaverians and Bisweswarians as it was their maiden success on such a big stage.
About 2000 km away from Calcutta (now Kolkata) where these two events took place in 1920, the famous Aga Khan competition was also a grand success on two counts. Firstly, Lahore (now in Pakistan) based civil team North Western Railways won the 24th edition, handing out a narrow defeat to Hornets Club. Secondly, after hovering over different venues, the Aga Khan Cup found its home, the Bombay Gymkhana Club in Mumbai.
What happened at Kolkata and Mumbai proved the fact that hockey had matured as a competitive sport. Vast stands, triple the number of participating teams compared to the maiden event, good gate collection and media coverage meant the Indian hockey was poised to go places.
In fact, it did.
No fewer than a dozen schools, all catering to affluent sections of society, ran hockey teams and were successful in producing quality players. Those schools, mostly the boarding variety, were located either in metro cities or hill stations such as Wellington, Darjeeling, Mussorie, Mount Abu etc. The majority of these institutions were run by either Irish Christian Brothers or Jesuit Priests.
There was also a third front where hockey was actually taking a giant leap. It was in the cantonments. Besides annual inter and intra military hockey competitions, Delhi was the cynosure of all eyes just a decade ago when King George V and Queen Mary visited. Only during that visit from Coronation Park, which lies 15km away from present President of India’s Rashtrapati Bhawan, the visiting King announced the moving of India’s capital from Calcutta to Delhi. On that occasion, in the run up to the grand reception, hockey teams all over India assembled for what was to be called the Coronation Cup. This cup was in addition to many other inter and intra-military unit competitions that were being held.
However, 1920 is also remembered for a globally significant happening. That year, in the Belgian city of Antwerp, field hockey was played at the Olympics only for the second time.
Stick2Hockey.com
Kaz Cuthbert and Wendy Justice elected at Scottish Hockey AGM
Scottish Hockey has successfully held its first online AGM, which saw the election of its new vice president; its first ever member-elected director; and the ratification of three directors.
It was the highest-ever attended Scottish Hockey AGM, which was also live-streamed to a significant audience on YouTube and on the Scottish Hockey website.
We are delighted to announce that Kaz Cuthbert is our new Vice President. The recently retired Scotland Women’s National Team captain was elected into the position with 70 votes, and will bring a variety of different skills and experiences to the role.
Olympic medallist Wendy Justice was elected as our first ever Member Elected Director with 74 votes, and will bring a wealth of hockey and education sector experience to the board in the years ahead.
Jamie Carnegie, Karin McKenny and Martin Shepherdson were all confirmed as directors with the membership voting to ratify each of the board members. All three will continue to support and contribute to the board’s strategic drive for hockey in Scotland over the coming years.
Members also voted for Ali Dick to continue as Discipline Officer, and for Barbara Morgan to continue as Officials Convenor. Both have been successful in these roles for some time and have continually delivered for hockey in Scotland.
Congratulations to all those elected and ratified and we look forward to working with you.
Scottish Hockey AGM votes
Member Elected Director:
Greig Cunningham: 14 votes
Wendy Justice: 74 votes
Ratification of Directors:
Jamie Carnegie: 71 yes / 8 no
Karin McKenny: 81 yes / 3 no
Martin Shepherdson: 75 yes / 5 no
Vice President:
Kaz Cuthbert: 70 votes
Ali Dick: 20 votes
Scottish Hockey Union media release
England Hockey statement on commitment & work around Diversity and Inclusion
Khalsa HC 2019 EH Champs
Hockey is rightly proud of its outstanding track record of being one of the leading sports who embody the very best values of society. A sport that ranges from ages five to 80+ years, has a truly equal gender membership, is leading a new disability model through Flyerz and has championed a number of areas of diversity and inclusion.
At England Hockey, in the last 12 months, however, we have increased our focus on diversity and inclusion, with the creation of an internal working group considering and questioning the issues and then seeking to create strategies that will change our sport in a concrete, meaningful and long-term way. Aside from behaviours, there are real questions around how we drive better representation through our pathways, coaching, umpiring and across our governance.
In July this year, we created an external advisory group, made up of a wide range of volunteers from a very diverse set of backgrounds, to help us to understand and ultimately plan our next steps. We held our first meetings on 12-13 August and will be developing actions from these, which we will be sharing with the wider hockey community.
The Board of England Hockey is also evolving to ensure it better represents our membership and society. At the time of writing the board consists of eleven people: four women and seven men. As a sport that has more than 50% of hockey club members as women, we are keen to create a better balance and diversity going forward.
Organisationally we are working with Inclusive Employers, a leading UK based consultancy, to help guide our plans around diversity and inclusivity. We started working with them earlier this year initially focusing on those employed within England Hockey, but increasingly we wish to expand to include those that work with us in a number of roles, whether as volunteers, consultants or part time coaches and umpires.
On 18 August, Ed Barney, England Hockey’s Performance Director, announced our commitment to provide a more diverse and inclusive experience for those in our talent pathway. This has been developed over the past 18 months and was built on feedback from the talent survey that was sent out earlier this year to many people involved in hockey. In this document, we specifically state that: we want to engender change in genuine partnership; we want to create shared ambitions which will see a sport that is exciting and accessible for all; and, we want to see a sport that is inclusive and diverse, with a talent pipeline that everyone is proud of. To bring this to fruition, we will need your support to develop and refine the detail and bring some of these changes to life in 2021, 2022 and beyond.
We are committed to building on the strong foundations in our sport and providing a more diverse and inclusive experience in hockey. We have championed the strengths and will continue to do so but we all need to be aware of where improvements need to be made and work together to listen, learn and start to address them.
England Hockey Board Media release